Tuesday's college basketball slate is headlined by Nebraska-Michigan, but there are plenty of other elite conference games on tap.
We have three college basketball best bets and NCAAB predictions for Tuesday, Jan. 27. Check them out below.
College Basketball Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our college basketball betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 PM | |
  | 8 PM | |
  | 9 PM | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Nebraska vs. Michigan Pick
We’re in uncharted territory when it comes to Nebraska basketball.
The undefeated Cornhuskers have never won an NCAA Tournament game and have punched a ticket to the Big Dance just eight times. For perspective, their opponent on Tuesday night, the Michigan Wolverines, have appeared in the Final Four eight times.
The only explanation for this double-digit spread is that oddsmakers and the market are leaning into the historical disparity between these two programs. Because if you just go by their on-court performance thus far, this game should be a 40-minute dogfight at the Crisler Center.
The Wolverines obliterated teams in the early going this season, blasting Auburn by 30 and Gonzaga by 40 in back-to-back games in November. But Dusty May’s bunch has fallen back to Earth, at least from an against-the-spread perspective.
Michigan has failed to cover in six straight games, including an outright loss to Wisconsin on its home floor as 19-point favorites. Despite leading the nation in first-half scoring (46.5 PPG), the Wolverines have been uncharacteristically sluggish in the first 20 minutes in recent wins over Oregon and archrival Ohio State.
A slow start against this Nebraska offense could prove fatal.
The Cornhuskers have the scoring threats and the defense to run with anyone on a given night. Their defense has quietly reached an elite level under Fred Hoiberg in his seventh season on campus.
“The Mayor” had yet to put a top-40 defense on the floor in Lincoln until this season, but the Huskers rank 11th nationally in KenPom’s defensive efficiency mark. They play a variation of the pack line at times, but their top priority is keeping opponents out of the paint and away from the rim, and they’re good on the defensive glass.
The drawback of that approach is the 3, which Nebraska gives up at volume. Opponents are firing up 29.5 triples per game (358th), and while that is by design, if the Huskers run into a hot team, the roof could cave in on a defense that has benefitted from opponents shooting just 30.5% from long range (45th).
Luckily for Big Red, Michigan isn’t a team that lives and dies by the 3, nor does it shoot it extraordinarily well (35%, 119th).
May prefers to run his offense through his bigs, hunting high-percentage shots inside of ten feet. The Wolverines lead the nation in two-point shooting percentage (64.3%), and their bigs are adept at drawing fouls in the paint.
The Wolverines’ front line of Johnson Jr., Lendeborg, and Mara averages 12.1 foul shot attempts per game. Nebraska’s low foul rate (13 per game, eighth) and deep front-court rotation give them a chance to slow this prolific Michigan offense.
Keep in mind, Nebraska has already dealt with the best of the Big Ten, and for that matter, the country, when it comes to offensive upside.
The Corn’s 83-80 upset of Illinois was predicated on their ability to make life miserable on the Fighting Illini inside the arc. Illinois made just 18 2-point buckets in the game. They also clamped down on Illinois’ transition game (four points) and limited Brad Underwood’s team to just seven points between the 10 and five minute mark of the second half.
Michigan’s blueprint includes high-percentage post looks and fast break buckets (15.3 PPG, 35th), but Nebraska has proven time and again that its defense is built to stop both of those elements.
If we get a Pryce Sandfort’s fifth straight 20-point outing, not only will Nebraska cover this number, but the ‘Huskers will have a puncher’s chance late to pull off the upset and remain perfect on the season
Pick: Nebraska +10 or Better
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Missouri vs. Alabama Pick
I project this total at exactly 170 points, so I’m willing to take the Over at 167 or better.
I have zero issues betting Alabama overs. The Tide boast the fastest-paced, deadliest offense in college basketball.
More importantly, I don’t trust Missouri’s ability to stop them. The Tigers are lousy in transition defense (1.16 PPP allowed, 10th percentile) and allow far too many 3s (45% 3-point rate allowed, 327th nationally).
Labaron Philon and Co. are licking their lips at this matchup.
On the other end, Alabama’s defense can be soft. The Tide aren’t great in transition defense themselves (1.06 PPP allowed, 41st percentile), and they struggle in straight-up isolation defense (.90 PPP allowed, 23rd percentile). The Tigers like to attack in the open court and in one-on-one matchups, often with Mark Mitchell, so this is a good matchup for their offense.
Of greater importance, Alabama can’t stop fouling, while Missouri ranks third in the SEC in free-throw rate. That’ll generate consistent offense for the Tigers while stopping the clock, both of which are great for the Over.
Pick: Over 167 or Better
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Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt Pick
By Evan Abrams
This game triggered one of our Action PRO betting systems:
In major college basketball conferences, heavily bet regular-season games often attract inflated lines favoring public perception rather than true value.
When matchups in leagues like the Big Ten, SEC, or ACC draw elevated betting volume, sportsbooks adjust to public action, especially toward recognizable programs and favorites.
These games typically occur in high-visibility time slots and feature teams that casual bettors overvalue based on recent wins or reputation.
This system identifies spots where market imbalance creates an edge, fading the public, as the pressure of national exposure, rivalry intensity, and line inflation combine to make the less popular side statistically undervalued against the spread.
Per our Action PRO Report, the Wildcats are currently catching over 70% of the betting tickets and handle, yet the line continues to move the other way:
It's also worth mentioning that our own Sean Paul likes Vanderbilt here, as he wrote in this separate piece:
"With the line sitting at just 6.5, I'll gladly take Vandy at home. It can blow teams out with its pace and shooting.
We saw it plenty before the losing skid, and we saw it again against Mississippi State.
Plus, I don't buy into Kentucky much. The recent run was nice, but I don't see it carrying into one of the SEC's toughest road venues."
Pick: Vanderbilt -8 or Better
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